Teen Substance Abuse

Teens use drugs for many different things, for example fitting in can be a big contributing factor to teens usage of drugs. Stress can also be a big factor, most things that cause stress for teens can be school/grades, sports, family, and relationships. Pier pressure often gets teens to do things they normally wouldn't do, which can create some bad habits, and in order to be cool you have to do what everyone else is doing. Due to stress, the pressure to fit in, and doing good in school teens often don't want to feel anything and drugs can minus those feelings and can create pleasure depending on the drug taken. Another example would be the role models they have in their life. Most teens follow what their parents/guardians do. Due to this seeing what their parents are doing that causes curiosity. Which leads to teens wanting to experiment with

Many teenagers between the ages of 12-18 are exposed or already on their way to addiction to substances that are not good for our mental or physical health. Many teens experiment with drugs but aren’t addicted. According to addictioncenters.com “teen drug abuse can have long term cognitive and behavioural effects since the teenage brain is still developing.” A study also shows that half of all new drug users are under 18. This is because our brains are still seeking the “thrill” and temptation of substances. Other common reasons are curiosity, peer pressure, stress, emotional struggles and wanting a escape. Thankfully drug use among teens, despite popular opinion are significantly decreasing. The teenage brain is very immature. By doing drugs as a teen you are at a greater risk for being an addicted adult.

Drug abuse is an increasing problem in our society, and specifically among teenagers. This increased affiliation with substances is very detrimental to teens. It causes an inability to focus, increases the chance that you will continue your drug abuse through your adulthood and it greatly damages the brain and many other organs. Our brains are developing when we are in our adolescence, which is why it is very important to discourage kids experimenting with drugs.

Doesn’t matter what age, drugs are going to be used and abuse. From the time we are born, till the day we die, prescription drugs are prescribed for doctor approved use. Most prescription drugs are given to help control a disease, an imbalance, sickness, etc. With teenage drug abuse on the rise in most US high schools, it has become a problem parents are facing amongst their children. Being a parent to a teenager who has meddled with prescription drugs has been an unbelievable eye opener. Teens know who they get these drugs from; fellow students, friends, their parents cabinets, etc. Educating parents and discussing the risks with teens about the effects prescription drugs can cause is important to helping

In my hometown, I have noticed an abundance of drug use. Many teens get peer pressured into doing drugs by their friends. They tell it’s cool, and how it can easily clear your mind. Also on TV they act like are fine. But what they don’t tell you is how it can totally ruin your life. You can become addicted and get into a lot of trouble. After recent research, I conclude that teens using drugs are a major problem in Piedmont and nationwide.

Drug use is an increasing problem among teenagers in today's high schools. Most drug use begins in the teenage years, these years are the most crucial in the maturing process. During these years adolescents are faced with the difficult tasks of discovering their self identity, clarifying their sexual roles, assenting independence, learning to cope with authority figures and searching for goals that would give their lives meaning. Drugs are readily available, adolescents are curious and venerable, and there is peer pressure to experiment, and there is a temptation to escape from conflicts. The use of drugs by teenagers is the result of a combination of factors such as peer pressure, curiosity, and

For numerous generations now, drugs have been a dominant dilemma in our society. The fact that not only drug issues increased rapidly but drug related problems are on the rise. Using drugs increases the risk of injury. Car crashes, falls, burns, drowning, and suicide are all linked to drug use These substances affect the body in many ways, including the exchange of information within the brain, is slowed. The usage of drugs ruins the users looks, makes them depressed, and contributes to slipping grades. Although it is illegal for someone to purchase, possess, or consume alcohol under the age of 19, many teenagers do. In addition to breaking the law, these teenagers put themselves into vulnerable situations, that can change their lives

Substance abuse and addictions among adolescence is a problem among this age group. Adolescents go through major stages in life and are faced with stressful issues that can lead to experimenting with drugs. Experimenting with drugs can lead to for an adolescent to abuse the substance as well becoming addicted. Not only can a adolescent can become addicted to a substance but he or she can have issues with the brain developing properly. Spiritual development can help prevent as well help over come the influences of substance abuse.

Drugs are not good for anyone but they can affect teens the most, due to the fact that their body is still growing. This is why teens can not drink until the age of 21, when the body is done developing. Not to mention, the drugs will damage their brain, heart, and other organs, including that some drugs can give them a heart attack. When teens do drugs, they are less able to do well in school, sports, and other extracurricular activities. This is usually how teens drop out of school due to poor decisions and lack of care. Teens usually go through phases in their life, like going through the phase of trying to fit in or feel temporarily numb to the feeling or because they may be depressed. Drugs will not solve your problems, In Fact they only cause problems on top of the ones you already had. This is when their body becomes addicted that without the drug, they cannot function correctly. Many teens still in school usually start smoking, or using snuff that contains the most addictive drug in the U.S, Nicotine. By the same token, many harmful chemicals are in Nicotine, including: Carbon monoxide, Cyanide, Ammonia and 4,000 other chemicals, them being some of them. Although Nicotine isn't illegal, if over the age of 18, it is still very harmful and it can lead to illegal Drug use if not careful. The only way to stop teens from falling into these

Adolescence is the period when children socially grow and develop into adults. It is also during this time, that many children start to experiment with drugs and alcohol. According to Dictionary.com, substance abuse is “long-term, pathological use of alcohol or drugs, characterized by daily intoxication, inability to reduce consumption, and impairment in social or occupational functioning; broadly, alcohol or drug addiction.” While many adolescents may just experiment, addiction and abuse of substances is a very real possibility. Sharma found that most drug and alcohol users began using between the ages of fifteen and eighteen. The most common reasons given to them for initiation were peer influence, curiosity, and sense of growth (2015).

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the impact of family and peers on both initiation and continuation of substance use among adolescent students. 416 sample were taken. Results of the study was showed that prevalence of substance use found to be higher among the students of urban area (15.1%) than their rural area (10. 7%). Higher grade students were more engaged in comparison to low grade students. The mean age of initiation to substance use ranged from 12.6 to 13.9 years. Family members, friends, easy availability were found to be influencing factor for initiation. The study was concluded that family environments as well as peers groups has an important bearing on initiation and continuation of substance use. Hence, it is necessary to provided that health promotion programs directed toward students and their families and peers groups which encourage attitude shaping among school children towards self-confidence and adequacy.11

Drugs between teenagers is one of the most serious problems, because it causes a change in the behavior of any teenager and a physical change too. Most of the teenagers use alcoholic drinks as a way to escape

35.1% of 12th graders have smoked pot in the past year. Teenagers do not know how serious it is to use drugs. Using drugs can lead to multiple situations if you do not stop in time. It doesn’t take long for teenagers to get addicted to a drug. Once you start getting use to it, you not going to be able to let it go. Teenage drug addicts can cause so much commotions if they do not get the drug they want or need. Drug addicts can lie and steal from their own family. They can also commit serious crimes to get drugs.

Even if a student does not engage in any use, it is highly common that someone they know will at some point in their life. When teenagers begin this activity, it can rapidly escalate, leading to addiction or the use of heavier drugs. Teenagers are not able to fully comprehend how this will affect them mentally or physically, short term or long term. Attending a large school, I have witnessed many people I know struggle with addiction to pills, marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol. These people don’t realize that they are putting these things above everything in life, and they are struggling academically, as well as socially. It is hard for other teenagers to help since they don’t want to get their friends in trouble or they’re simply unaware of how severe the situation is.

According to NCADD (national council on alcoholism and drug dependence Inc.), more than twenty three million people over the age of 12 are addicted to alcohol and other drugs, what in other way affects millions of other people – family, friends and neighbors. Some researches made by NCADD described how drugs and alcohol affects unformed brain (brain of person under twenty one years), for example young people before age of fifteen are five times more likely to develop alcohol abuse than people who first used alcohol at the age of twenty one or older, for drug addiction research showed similar results. Substance abuse may cause serious problems such a loss of friends/communication, poor schoolwork and troubles with law. Alcohol and drug abuse is leading cause of teen death by suicide, or car crashes, violence and drowning. It also may cause the risk of pregnancy among teenagers and grow of sexually transmitted infections, included HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), because of unprotected sex. Most of sold drugs are made in home labs, what make them in times more dangerous, because they may contain dangerous chemicals, bacteria and other unsafe substances. There are also many identified signs, which would help parents, friends or people around, recognize if your family member, friend or even your second half uses drugs. Some common things of teen drug abuse include: bloodshot eyes, bad grades, missing curfew, frequent hunger, loss of interest in activities etc.